


Got Used to the Smell

by SamCyberCat



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:46:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamCyberCat/pseuds/SamCyberCat
Summary: Sousuke has been travelling with Haru and Rin for some time now. He wouldn't change that for the world, but he appreciates these quiet moments he gets with just Haru.





	Got Used to the Smell

**Author's Note:**

> My first fill for akiko-natsuko, as part of the Free! Christmas Exchange 2017. Akiko asked for either a SouHaru or a MakoHaru hurt/comfort fic, which are both good options. So I did both. This is the SouHaru one. These two fics can work either together as part of the same story or entirely on their own. If you read them together, then I'd recommend reading this one first.

After finishing his year at Samezuka, Sousuke had reached the conclusion that he couldn't predict his own future. He could work for it as hard as he possibly could and he hadn't given up on the directions that he wanted his life to go in. But from experience, he was starting to learn that he could do to be more flexible about it than he had been in the past. He could let himself be guided by the flow of the current, instead of standing as steady as a rock while the waves beat against him and wore him down. There were some elements that he could plan for and some that he simply couldn't.

Part of what Sousuke hadn't planned for was how much time he was suddenly spending with Haruka Nanase.

It was all down to Rin. In contrast to Sousuke, Rin had relentlessly chased his dreams and hadn't been made to give up. He hadn't pushed himself too hard like Sousuke had, although Rin had pushed himself hard all the same. No one deserved to be on the Olympic platform as much as Rin did, although Haru came close. Both of them were working together to represent Japan now and Sousuke knew that neither of them would have it any other way.

Sousuke wouldn't have it any other way now either. At one point, he would have strived to join them on the starting block, but that wasn't the life that was meant for him... Instead he devoted himself to both his own recovery and to supporting Rin. Which by extension had resulted in supporting Haru as well. Which... wasn't the part that Sousuke had planned for.

He got along with Haru much better now than he had done at the start. In fact, Sousuke looked back on his earlier treatment of Haru with some shame, even though Haru himself never brought it up. Yet that might have been because Haru didn't bring up much at all. He wasn't one for talking. In some ways it was good that they both had the louder Rin there to fill the silences that Haru and Sousuke created.

And yet... there were times when Sousuke enjoyed the silence as well. He wasn't sure if Haru felt the same, but they both certainly made a lot of time to sit together and appreciate the peace while Rin was away.

The three of them travelled so much together and sharing hotel rooms worked out to be more practical than booking three separate rooms. Perhaps the price wasn't an issue, since Sousuke figured that Rin and Haru must both be doing pretty well in their particular careers, but being able to wake each other up at the crack of dawn to go for a jog was much easier when they were all in the same place. It also made ordering food easier as well, although they could rarely agree on a menu.

No one was ordering food today though. What brought Sousuke out of his slumber was the disgusting and yet increasingly familiar scent of smoked mackerel being fried in an open pan. He rolled over to look at Haru, who was facing away from him and cooking his breakfast on a small, travel frying pan, dressed in his usual post-bath jammers and apron combination. The jammers showed off his toned behind and Sousuke would be lying if he said that he didn't spend a considerable amount of time staring at Haru's arse while he was talking.

“Rin already headed out...?” he checked.

“Yes. You missed him by ten minutes. I told him to wait, but he wanted to be early for his meeting with his sponsors,” Haru replied, without turning around.

“Rin's always early for everything,” Sousuke said, “You not going?”

“Talking with sponsors is irritating,” answered Haru.

That was Haru all right. Given his skills, he was much sought-after, but any sponsors who had to deal with him had a hell of a time. Sousuke wondered why Haru didn't just take on an agent to deal with them, but then again, perhaps sorting out an agent out would be too much hassle for him as well. Maybe Sousuke should do it behind his back someday and just get it out the way. It was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

“Got any plans for the morning then?” Sousuke asked.

“This. Then training,” said Haru, as he plated up the mackerel. He didn't bother asking if Sousuke wanted any, because Sousuke had long since established that he didn't.

“Sounds like every day,” Sousuke said. He rolled himself onto his back and stared at the ceiling now that Haru's arse wasn't in an easy position for him to look at; “...Do you ever worry about going too far?”

“No,” Haru stated, as he sat on the edge of the bed and started to eat the mackerel.

Sousuke glanced at him in surprise; “Not even when you look at me?”

“Especially not when I look at you,” said Haru.

“Even after...?” Sousuke didn't finish that sentence, but he knew that he didn't have to. They both knew what had become of Sousuke after he'd pushed himself too far.

Haru glanced down at him now, his eyes staring with an intensity that Sousuke never quite knew how to deal with. And although Haru's face was harsh, the words he spoke next were not.

“When I look at you, I see a man who picked himself up again and carried on,” said Haru, “You didn't let your mistakes stop you from recovering and now you're here with us. ...I'm glad you're here with us.”

Then Haru looked away again to carry on eating his mackerel. Even after a good few years of them all travelling together like this, Haru was stubborn about showing affection. Sousuke enjoyed that and he generally didn't push Haru further than what he'd just said. But right now Sousuke was overwhelmed with gratitude at Haru's words. He pulled himself up and shuffled to sit behind him, resting his head on Haru's shoulder.

“That stinks,” he said, with a nod down at the mackerel, “Couldn't you have an addiction to something that smells nicer instead?”

“I could... but then you don't smell very nice either,” Haru countered.

“Harsh. And here I was buying that expensive aftershave for your sake,” Sousuke teased, “Maybe I should just rub myself in smoked fish instead.”

“Please don't embarrass yourself,” said Haru. And Sousuke noticed that Haru was trying hard to stop himself from smirking.

He snaked his arms around Haru, intertwining his fingers and resting them against Haru's stomach. There was no objection from Haru. There never was. Their quiet moments together were always appreciated. And yet... something was still nagging in the back of Sousuke's mind. He knew that he should let it drop, but he just couldn't. He lifted his head up to talk into Haru's ear.

“I was serious about before... You and Rin both push yourselves too hard sometime,” he said.

Any hint of a smirk disappeared from Haru's face now. Instead, he stared ahead and frowned. His face was so cold that Sousuke almost felt frosty looking at it, despite the warmth of Haru's body.

“And I was serious when I said that you're not here to serve as a reminder of why we shouldn't push ourselves so hard,” Haru said, “Don't insult yourself or either of us by implying that. You're here because we want you to be here, you want to be here... I want you to be here.”

“Never thought I'd hear you admit something like that,” Sousuke replied. Though for all his posturing, he was reassured by Haru's words.

Haru tensed. Then he lifted the fork up with a large chunk of mackerel on it and held it in front of Sousuke's face.

“You've been difficult. So you have to eat this,” Haru explained.

“Always cruel in your punishments...” Sousuke sighed.

He pressed forward and took a bite of the mackerel, pushing his hands against Haru's stomach as he did. He got some satisfaction out of seeing Haru tense at the pressure there. It definitely made eating the mackerel worth it. Sousuke waited a few moments after swallowing before he relaxed his hands again.

“It's not so bad, once you get used to it,” he said. They both knew that he wasn't talking about just the mackerel.

Haru huffed out a small breath.

“Perhaps it was always good and you just didn't notice it before,” Haru said.

Sousuke reached up to kiss Haru's ear, wondering how much he'd have to tease him before Haru gave out. They'd played this game many times before. Whoever won depended on many factors, but Sousuke had a feeling that it would be him today.

“How long until Rin gets back?” Sousuke whispered.

“It was just a campaign update, so not too long...” Haru admitted, “Why? Do you plan on stopping even if he does come in?”

Sousuke tugged them both down onto the bed, not caring that it made Haru lose his grip on the plate he'd been holding and it fell to the floor. They'd clean up before they checked out. They always did. He trailed his hands up Haru's chest, watching with satisfaction as Haru shuddered, but didn't give in to the contact just yet. It was going to be fun. It always was between them.

As for if Sousuke would stop if Rin came back...?

He nuzzled his face against the crook of Haru's neck.

“...Hell no.”


End file.
